Capacity Building to Expand Students Knowledge of Semiconductors at Fresno State
Abstract
The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year (FY) 2016, under authority of 10 U.S.C. ยค 2362 and the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OASD(R&E)), allocated $28 million to assist Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving Institutions (HBCU/MI) with equipment and instrumentation enhancements to improve their research and education capabilities in scientific disciplines important to the defense mission. The program aims enhance the capacity of HBCU/MI to participate broadly in defense research programs and activities and to increase the number of graduates, including underrepresented minorities, in fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The PI requests support for the acquisition of semiconductor laboratory equipment that will enable the development of the semiconductor materials and device engineering. Requested equipment will enhance research capabilities and STEM education programs. Included in the request are a diffusion/annealing furnace; a photolithography system; a step/trench profile measurement system; a metal deposition tool; a thin film measurement tool; a dry etch reactive ion etching (RIE) system, and a current- voltage and capacitance-voltage (I-V, C-V) characterization tool. The acquisition of this set of equipment will enable the department of electrical and computer engineering to create a semiconductors focus area in the curriculum thanks to the incorporation of hands-on instruction in process technology, and opportunities for applied science and design projects in this field. Faculty and students can get involved in research activities such as materials physical and electrical characterization, electronic device fabrication and testing, effects of temperature and radiation on devices (mainly wide bandgap materials), materials for sensing applications, and sensor design and fabrication. Collaboration with faculty from mechanical engineering will enable researchers to work together in areas such as flexible electronics including graphene, and solar cell fabrication and testing. The opportunities are endless.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Mar 27, 2017
- Source ID
- W911NF1610532
Entities
People
- Zoulikha Mouffak
Organizations
- Army Contracting Command
- California State University, Fresno
- Office of the Secretary of Defense